WWE and Youth Pro Wrestling?

[bioshock]

Heres the thing, WWE and "pro wrestling" is what it is. Its not football, and well its not like pro sports.

One of the biggest (never talked about) issues in pro wrestling, most note able WWE is that the NFL has kids in pee wee football at the age of 8 years old, baseball has little league baseball for 8 year olds as well. And the same applies for soccer, basketball and so on.

But with pro wrestling you really have nothing, there's karate, armature wrestling and acting/plays those are about the only things closest to wrestling that kids can get into who are under the age of 18 while in school. And the 2 apply mostly to UFC rather than a career in pro wrestling.

So with that, you compare in the NFL it has young talent, and many young talent all under the age of 25 in the prime of their career in NFL, well same for NBA, MLB and other sports. 25-30 is considered the prime. Yet in pro wrestling unless your the son of a ex wrestler and have been able to compete in a ring for training like the Rock and Randy Orton, and some others. Then most likely you wont hit your prime until your 30s.

So should the WWE pursue some kind of youth wrestling "school" or program across the country, either as a school program or just as something kids can be part of at a certain age, either at 8 years old, or 12, 16 or what ever age.

Not saying the WWE needs to open up WWE Performance Centers all around the country, but simple gyms with rings, trainers, ex wrestlers, what ever it be, to train those who wish to have a career in pro wrestling, between learning the basics, to how to do a promo and so on.

It could be the difference between WWE having elite talent at 21 years old (which is the age of some NFL starters following the draft), with stars in their prime at 25 years old, instead of older talent not peaking until their 30s.

And just an example of the wrestlers age for the current roster:
Adrian Neville 28
Kevin Owens 30
Sami Zayn 30
Finn Bálor 33
Sheamus 37
Seth Rollins 28
Ryback 33
Roman Reigns 29
Curtis Axle 35
Dean Ambros 29
Dolph Ziggler 34


Quite a few of those guys are considered "the future of the WWE". And some have yet to join the main roster yet. Just think the youngest WWE champion was Randy Orton at 24 years old, some have nearly won the NFL, MLB and NBA MVP at that age. I think if WWE could train kids to a point, like kids are trained in armature wrestling and karate, I think we could end up seeing the most talented wrestlers imaginable. Just think if Dolph and Roman had the talent they have now, but were only 22 years old, instead of 29 and 34 respectively.

Debate on.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Yeah, I just don't see this as being a viable idea whatsoever. I'm hardly even sure where to begin as to what's wrong with it as it's just....well it's a wild idea and it's original, but that doesn't mean it's a good one. WWE creating what is essentially a kid's league will obliterate whatever shred of mystique is left of professional wrestling. Also, if by some miracle Vince McMahon thought this was a viable idea, he'd be crucified in the media when one of those kids got hurt and someone WOULD get hurt. It wouldn't matter how many legal forms a parent would have to sign in order for the kid to participate, it'd be a feeding frenzy with Vince McMahon's ass as the main course. I can see the headlines now: "WWE Cripples 10 Year Old - Doctors say "May Never Walk Again."

When it comes to pro wrestling and 100% legit sports, there's something of a double standard. Wrestling is sort of given a more tongue-in-cheek view by most people because it's fictional personals engaged in fake feuds that lead to fake fights. It can be damn entertaining, but it's a fictional sport. As a result, it's not treated with the same degree of seriousness as MMA, boxing, basketball, football, baseball, etc. However, in some ways, pro wrestling is more dangerous than these sports, except for MMA and possibly boxing. Basketball & baseball aren't contact sports and football players are covered with padding. Injuries can and still do occur, of course, but it takes legit time, dedication and skill to learn how to be a pro wrestler. It's not just getting in there and doing the moves, it's doing the moves properly thereby reducing the risk of injury to yourself or someone else as much as possible. It's about maintaining concentration, paying attention to what you're doing and what the other wrestler is doing. Whenever a wrestler steps foot into the ring, he's taking a risk every time; it's a serious matter and it should be treated as such, meaning that only adults should be training to be pro wrestlers. Kids like to goof off and play around, that holds true for kids in elementary school right on up through high school, even beyond in many situations, I've known more than a couple of who're 40 years old going on 12 but that's another story.

While I do think some of the age based laws have their fair share of nonsense, 18 is generally recognized in most countries as being an adult. In the United States by the age of 18, you're old enough to smoke, old enough to drive, old enough to vote, old enough to join the workforce and old enough to join the military. Basically by 18, you can do pretty much anything except drink and go to a titty bar. So yeah, the government thinks you're old enough at 18 to make the decision to get your face blown off in Iraq or Afghanistan, but you can't chug a bottle of Sam Adams while a hottie in nothing but a thong & high heels shakes her stuff all over your lap.

Got off track again but, I think you get what I mean: people in general are usually fuck ups to one degree or another and that degree is exponentially higher as kids and teenagers. With wrestling being as dangerous as it is and can be, kids have no business doing it as a whole. I'm sure that there are genuinely good kids from all walks of life that could do it and would treat it respectfully and seriously but, as I alluded to, it only takes one of the kids screwing around thinking that the whole thing's just shits & giggles getting hurt before the whole thing comes crashing down.

 

[Navi]

There is no way a mother is going to let her 8 or 10 year old son into the wrestling business. Besides doesn't the WWE run a "Don't try this at home" campaign.

There has been lots of bad press over the years of kids who have killed or maimed other kids by practicing wresting moves on them. It's something that's better left to a person to decide what they want to do when they become of age.

Maybe if we could get some of the fossils cough, cough, Kane, cough, cough, Big Show and others off the roster, it might free up some room for younger guys.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Pretty sure the OP has never taken a bump. It causes minute brain damage every time on adults. You'd seriously mess up little kids, way worse than football.

It's a hazard. Have your kid in gymnastics, athletics, and theater. That will groom them for pro wrestling. The best way for WWE to have great young stars is to put on a good show that inspires top young athletes to study it.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Have your kid in gymnastics, athletics, and theater. That will groom them for pro wrestling.

100% correct. You need to have some athletic ability, no question, but what's really lacking in wrestling today is acting talent. People aren't into the over the top 80's stuff where you could get away with being an awful actor. Today, where people dig reality, you need to have some acting ability. Reality television stars don't need to act, but a fake show like wrestling, even if it's reality based, needs actors.

Having youth pro wrestling is an awful idea, no offense. Kids need real competition first.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

I don't really see the need for this. If a kid wants to be a wrestler, the best thing he can do is play sports in high school, work on his body and athleticism, and then enroll in a wrestling school.

And by the way, to the OP, "your" idea was stolen almost verbatim from this week's edition of the "Cheap Heat" podcast. Nice try.


Cheap Heat - Clark Duke | 2.18.2015
Clark Duke stops by to talk 'Fastlane,' the guys discuss Samoa Joe's free agency, and Shoemaker pitches Little League pro wrestling